David defeats the Ammonites (the backdrop to Bathsheba) Introduction Key caravan route (King's Highway); passes to David by the end. He didn't start the fight, but it ends up working well for him and his kingdom 10.14 Ammonite problem not yet resolved in this chapter, just that 10.19 Syrians won't help them anymore. This is backdrop to Bathsheba affair, and book ends it. So chapter 10 looks both ways. Back, since David continues to show HESED. But forwards, since this situation that emerges will sadly be the one within which we abandons HESED, and suffers the consequences. 1. Loyalty is met with hostility v1-5 Our God shows terms of peace and steadfast love towards us. Our animosity towards God and his Christ - Psalm 2 . And then make matters worse by continuing in that rebellion. Covenant loyalty to everyone. HESED again. Courtesy. Thus chapters 9-10 are a massive contrast to the abandoning of hesed in chapters 11-12. Shame as theme. David acts as good shepherd to his men. Application : Showing love to all, even those far off. Matthew 5 etc. 2. Hostility escalates to war v6-14 Lots of space given to Joab's little speech, v11-12. We can't put him in a black and white box as a pure 'baddie'. He speaks the truth here! He's a flawed character, a real character! Decision making and faith; we don't know the details, but we know the rock-solid certainty of the promises. Application: Much of wisdom is the on-the-fly wise decision making, amidst the load-bearing walls of the promises of God. E.g., we know Romans 8.28 but we still have to make decisions; we know he gives our daily bread but we still need to decide about jobs and money and shopping, 3. God and his king are victorious v15-19 10.14 Ammonite problem not yet resolved in this chapter, just that 10.19 Syrians won't help them anymore. This is backdrop to Bathsheba affair, and book ends it. So chapter 10 looks both ways. Back, since David continues to show HESED. But forwards, since this situation that emerges will sadly be the one within which we abandons HESED, and suffers the consequences. Application : How to read and interpret the Bible; how do we 'fight' now? How does that theme apply? 'Fighting for the cities of our God' etc. Right-wing gets it wrong by reducing down to 'issues' and 'causes'; spiritualising away the realities of the OT into war against communism, abortion, etc. Left wing gets it wrong by dismissing it altogether, or making 'war' a pietistic, internal and subjective affair. Neither is actually following the Bible in how to interpret itself - although for sure there are causes we must fight against, and internal struggles against sin we do battle in. But 2 Sam 10 doesn't head us that way. Instead, war has been made against God's king - Psalm 2 again - and God has been victorious through him. Humanity has rebelled against God in Jesus, putting him to death, yet God has vindicated him and through him crushed his enemies. Even more, in his victory Jesus identifies with our shaming and suffering, as soldiers spat on him and pulled at his beard, as bystanders mocked him and as he died naked upon a cross. Like David, Jesus is the king who keeps showing HESED. Unlike David, Jesus is the king whose HESED will not - and cannot be ever removed, forgotten, or exhausted.

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OT

2 Samuel 10:1-19

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David Defeats Ammon and Syria 10 1 s After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2 And David said, “I will deal loyally 1 with Hanun the son of t Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites. 3 But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, u at their hips, and sent them away. 5 When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.” 6 When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of v Beth-rehob, and w the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of x Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of y Tob, 12,000 men. 7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of z the mighty men. 8 And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and w the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and y the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country. 9 When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. 10 The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. 11 And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12 a Be of good courage, and b let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and c may the Lord do what seems good to him.” 13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 14 And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem. 15 But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16 And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond d the Euphrates. 1 They came to Helam, with e Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. 17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Syrians arrayed themselves against David and fought with him. 18 And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 700 chariots, and 40,000 horsemen, and wounded f Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there. 19 And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel g and became subject to them. So the Syrians were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.